Why you should never drive inside a lorry on a roundabout or risk being crushed – and it’s not the trucker’s fault

The way HGVs are set up means that they have a tendency to veer to the right - and not because the trucker is not paying attention

By Joe Finnerty, Digital Motors Editor

8th February 2018, 11:46 am

Updated: 8th February 2018, 9:25 pm

LORRIES pose a daunting prospect for Brits trying to get past on local roads, on motorways or at junctions.

The high-riding trucks have reduced visibility of small cars - especially when you pull up alongside their load.

Alamy

HGVs will veer to the right at slow speeds due to tracking

And sometimes trying to pass a lorry can be particularly perilous even if the trucker has seen you.

Trying to sneak down the inside of a HGV at a roundabout can put you at risk of being crushed even if the lorry driver is doing their best to avoid it.

Most articulated lorries have tracking that is slightly out of kilter - which means the rear wheels don't align exactly with the front due to the sheer weight and length of the vehicle.

On a motorway or straight road it doesn't cause too many problems - but on a small roundabout it's more pronounced.

Tips for staying safe with HGVs on the road

When you’re driving along the motorway, you’ll notice a lot of foreign HGV number plates. Bear in mind that the driver will be sitting on the left so you may be difficult to see and the driver may be acclimatising his lane position in the UK. Take extra care when passing and allow more space if you can.

We’ve all heard the saying “if you can see their mirrors, then they can see you.” But an HGV can have up to five mirrors, and the driver is only limited to looking at one at a time so they may not see you. Hold back and you will eventually be visible in their mirrors.

Identify when there is a likelihood of the HGV changing lanes. Is there a slip road coming up which will be joining traffic or is there an HGV in lane two likely to change back? Be accommodating by hanging back and allowing them to pull into the lane they are looking to move into.

At one point in time, we’ve all experienced heavy spray from an HGV in front of us, you can control this by extending the distance between yourself and the lorry. The Highway Code suggests four seconds in the rain but if needed, make it more.

An articulated lorry will track sideways in a right hand bend on the motorway and on a roundabout so avoid being beside it. A good rule of thumb is to be safely infront of or safely behind, but never beside an HGV when entering a roundabout.

If you see a queue of traffic infront of you and have an HGV behind you, introduce your brake lights early to pre-warn the driver behind and slow down gradually. This will let the HGV driver extend their braking distance and stop in plenty of time. On a motorway or dual carriageway, hazard lights can be used to show drivers behind you of any issues further in front (Highway Code rule 116).

Despite being legally limited to 60mph, an HGV can only physically go a maximum of 56mph on the motorway. So if you do see a HGV on the right hand lane, give them a helping hand by slowing down and letting them into the left lane.

This means if you undertake a lorry while it's making a right turn around a roundabout, it could drift dangerously across into you.

Richard Gladman, head of driving and riding standards at IAM RoadSmart, said: "It is the very nature of the articulated lorry that means the rear wheels do not track in the same line as the front.

"There are a number of YouTube examples of cars finding themselves in the space an articulated lorry needs to make its turn."

The best advice is to be safely in front of or safely behind, but never alongside an HGV when entering a roundabout.

The road safety charity also listed several other tips for driving safely near lorries.

It advises checking number plates for foreign registrations to be aware the driver will be on the opposite side of the cab and don't assume if you can see a mirror they can see you as the driver isn't always look at that specific time.

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Gladman added: "As any HGV driver will tell you, they sometimes need a bit of extra space to move down the road.

"Visibility can be restricted, and no amount of mirrors will allow all of the blind spots to be monitored all of the time.

"By applying some simple rules and sharing the road space, we can make life easier for all of us."

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